Tag Priorities in Life

Making the Most of Your Time

Steve Keating 2 Comments

We should probably get this out of the way up front. We can’t actually manage time. We can manage the events that use up our time. You should also know that no one on the planet has more time than you. We all get 1440 minutes a day. No more, no less.

People who think they are short on time are actually short on priorities. They treat most every “event” in their lives as a top priority not realizing that if everything is the top priority then nothing is. Managing the events that use up your time effectively is crucial for achieving your goals, reducing stress, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Here are some practical strategies to help you manage those events more effectively.

  • Set Clear Goals: Start by defining your short-term and long-term goals. Having a clear sense of what you want to achieve will help you prioritize tasks and allocate time accordingly.
  • Prioritize Tasks: Use techniques like the Eisenhower Matrix (urgent vs. important) to identify and prioritize tasks based on their significance and deadlines.
  • Create a prioritized task list: Make a daily or weekly prioritized task list to outline tasks you need to accomplish. Break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps.
  • Time Blocking: Allocate specific time blocks for different tasks or activities. This helps you focus on one task at a time and prevents multitasking, which can reduce efficiency.
  • Use a Calendar: Utilize a digital or physical calendar to schedule appointments, meetings, and tasks. Sync it with your devices to stay updated and receive reminders.
  • Set Deadlines: Establish realistic deadlines for tasks to create a sense of urgency and maintain accountability.
  • Eliminate Distractions: Identify and minimize sources of distraction, such as turning off notifications, setting specific times for checking emails and social media, and creating a clutter-free workspace.
  • Batch Similar Tasks: Group similar tasks together and work on them during specific time blocks. This minimizes context switching and improves efficiency.
  • Use the Pomodoro Technique: Work intensely for a set period (e.g., 25 minutes) and then take a short break. Repeat this cycle to maintain focus and prevent burnout.
  • Delegate: If possible, delegate tasks that can be handled by others, freeing up your time for more critical responsibilities.
  • Learn to Say No: Politely decline tasks or commitments that don’t align with your goals or would overburden your schedule.
  • Set Time Limits: Allocate a specific amount of time for each task to avoid spending too much time on less important activities.
  • Review and Reflect: Regularly review your progress, assess what’s working and what isn’t, and adjust your time management strategies accordingly.
  • Use Technology Wisely: Utilize productivity apps, task managers, and tools like calendar reminders to help you stay organized and on track.

Effective time management isn’t as much about time as it is understanding your priorities. It is a skill that takes time to develop. Experiment with different strategies to find what works best for you, and be willing to adapt as your circumstances and goals evolve.

Remember, time is one of your most valuable assets. The more effectively you use it the more of it you’ll seem to have. You will seldom see a very successful person who doesn’t allocate their time well and if you do it’s likely they won’t be very successful for long.

Want more of LeadToday? I’ve changed things up on my Twitter feed for subscribers. I recently began publishing two or three videos each week focusing on an element of Authentic Leadership. I’ll post these videos each Tuesday and Thursday morning. Sometimes a bonus video pops up at other times during the week. They will be about 10 minutes long so we can get into the topic in a more meaningful way. The investment for subscribers in still only $4.99 a month. That’s for at least 80 MINUTES of quality video content on leadership a month.

If you’re interested in taking a look, head on over to my Twitter profile page. If you’re not a follower yet just hit the follow button. It will change to a subscribe button and once you hit that you’re on your way. You can cancel at any time you’ve decided you have nothing left to learn about leading the people who you count on for your success.

Here’s the link to my Twitter… https://twitter.com/leadtoday

Can I See Your Priorities?

Steve Keating 1 Comment

I already don’t like this post and I’m the one writing it. I can only imagine how many of you will feel about it. It’s a tough post to write because a lot of the people reading it will not feel better about themselves, at least not right away.

 

If just one person takes this message to heart then it will be a worthwhile post, no matter how many people might be offended. I know it will offend people because the first time it was shared with me I was offended too. But I have a lot more of everything today because I eventually changed my behavior because of it.

 

Around 25 years ago I was sitting in the audience at a Dale Carnegie Traning national convention. We were listening to a Dale Carnegie sales representative talk about the challenges of succeeding in the training business. As with almost all Dale Carnegie presenters his talk was awesome. What truly made his presentation unique however was the fact that he was playing the harp throughout his entire presentation. 

 

It was like he had two different brains working at once. His message was that achieving success, long-term true success, required that we do more than we thought possible. 

 

It was impressive to say the least. I made a comment to the person sitting next to me that I’d “give anything” to be able to play a musical instrument. 

 

He said that wasn’t true. Here’s the thing about working for a self-improvement organization like Dale Carnegie. The teaching never stops. Everything is a lesson. You are held accountable for everything you say and everything you do. It can be a challenging place to work but it is life changing. For the vast majority of the people lucky enough to experience it the change is very positive.

 

So the person sitting next to me said it wasn’t true and the lesson was on. When I said it absolutely was true he said “well then, what instrument do you play?” I said again that while I didn’t play any instrument I wished I did. 

 

It was then that I was informed I was mistaken. I was mistaken because if I really wanted to play an instrument then I’d be able to play an instrument. He went on to say that it wasn’t that I didn’t want to play an instrument, it was that I wanted to do other things more. He said I didn’t play an instrument because while I might like the thought of it, actually playing an instrument wasn’t a priority for me. 

 

He said lots of people say what they want but when you watch them they show their true priorities. 

 

I felt a little like I had been called a liar but eventually what he said sunk in. I started to measure the things I said I wanted against what actions I took to have them. It turned out I was like most people…. I said a lot and did very little. 

 

I decided that had to change. The change was instigated by the awareness that wanting something and doing what it takes to have it are two very very different things.

 

The odds are pretty high that you have some of that “say a lot do very little” stuff within you too. So here’s a suggestion. 

 

Make a list of your priorities, the “things” you want in every area of your life. Your personal life, your professional life, your financial life, etc. 

 

Then track how you spend your time, every minute of your time, each day for a week. You can Google “Time log” to find a tool that will help you with your tracking. BE HONEST! 

 

You will be somewhere between mad, disappointed, shocked, or horrified at how little of your time is spent in pursuit of your “priorities.” When I realized all those years ago where my time was going I was surprised to say the least. You might be too.

 

But awareness is a wonderful thing. You may decide that what you thought were your priorities really aren’t. You may decide that they are. In that case then you’ll also know that something must change. 


I still think that playing an instrument would be nice. I also know that I won’t give anything to be able to play one. In fact as it turns out, I was unwilling to give anything at all.